Air carrier medium large transport deviation from clearance altitude in response to wrong callsign.

Attributes
ACN	96975
Time
Date	198810
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ood
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain observation : company check pilot oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	96975
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer instruction : trainee
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation Operational Deviation other

Narrative:

Upon climb out from phl, we leveled at 10000' and phl departure control switched us to ny center frequency 133.05. Called center who answered, 'roger qrb. Cleared jfk climb to 230.' acknowledged transmission, began climb and turn. At 11200' center called and said, 'qrb, maintain 10000.' we called back and said we were through 11000' and that we had acknowledged clearance for direct jfk climb to 230. Controller said that was for qax. At this time a different voice came on and told us to maintain 11000' and fly a 100 degree heading. 2 mins later we were cleared by the original controller to direct jfk, climb to 230. Obviously controller training was in progress. Both pilots agreed that we, qrb, had received clearance and that controller was in error. No traffic conflict occurred, thankfully. An honest but possibly deadly mistake during training. Ironically, as a chief airman for my company, I was also training a new first officer on this trip. Conclusion: although mistakes like this are very dangerous, it seems to me that they will occur. Human beings will never be perfect and we all must be forever vigilant to protect our lives and those of our passenger.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG DEVIATION FROM CLRNC ALT IN RESPONSE TO WRONG CALLSIGN.

Narrative: UPON CLBOUT FROM PHL, WE LEVELED AT 10000' AND PHL DEP CTL SWITCHED US TO NY CENTER FREQ 133.05. CALLED CENTER WHO ANSWERED, 'ROGER QRB. CLRED JFK CLB TO 230.' ACKNOWLEDGED XMISSION, BEGAN CLB AND TURN. AT 11200' CENTER CALLED AND SAID, 'QRB, MAINTAIN 10000.' WE CALLED BACK AND SAID WE WERE THROUGH 11000' AND THAT WE HAD ACKNOWLEDGED CLRNC FOR DIRECT JFK CLB TO 230. CTLR SAID THAT WAS FOR QAX. AT THIS TIME A DIFFERENT VOICE CAME ON AND TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 11000' AND FLY A 100 DEG HDG. 2 MINS LATER WE WERE CLRED BY THE ORIGINAL CTLR TO DIRECT JFK, CLB TO 230. OBVIOUSLY CTLR TRNING WAS IN PROGRESS. BOTH PLTS AGREED THAT WE, QRB, HAD RECEIVED CLRNC AND THAT CTLR WAS IN ERROR. NO TFC CONFLICT OCCURRED, THANKFULLY. AN HONEST BUT POSSIBLY DEADLY MISTAKE DURING TRNING. IRONICALLY, AS A CHIEF AIRMAN FOR MY COMPANY, I WAS ALSO TRNING A NEW F/O ON THIS TRIP. CONCLUSION: ALTHOUGH MISTAKES LIKE THIS ARE VERY DANGEROUS, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THEY WILL OCCUR. HUMAN BEINGS WILL NEVER BE PERFECT AND WE ALL MUST BE FOREVER VIGILANT TO PROTECT OUR LIVES AND THOSE OF OUR PAX.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.